She also brought me back this bag of marcona nuts. I had never had them before but I guess they are Spanish "almonds" that are pretty big and round. Slightly oily, but light and clean-tasting.My friend Naoko, writer and director of KAMOME DINER and MEGANE, is visiting from Tokyo, so I invited Fumi over to join us for a garden dinner party the other night.

Naoko and I had gone to the Grand Army Plaza Farmer's Market that morning, and I picked up some green and white string beans (Naoko had never seen the white kind!) and some ruby red tomatoes. Here's the salad with the tuna on top.We all agreed that the tuna was too dry- it happens when they pack it too tight! But I still got a whiff of the Mediterranean air- sigh.Got a quarter pound of Rosette de Lyon salami from Blue Apron in Park Slop. It's my new favorite cured meat- so good. I still need to blog these deliciously crunchy cornichons that Matt brought me back from Paris.Also bought mozzarella from Blue Apron, and made a summery caprese salad. Basil from the backyard!Fumi brought this super chilled bottle of vinho verde, from Portugal. It's a lovely summertime drink, with its slightly sweet sparkle.It was a lovely meal, and we sat and chatted until it got pitch dark out with all the glowing fireflies (which Naoko was entranced by) and the buzzing mosquitoes (over it). After going through 3 bottles of wine, we moved the party indoors for the main course of cold noodles (what else??).